Page 35 of Filthy Savage
“Sounds good.”
“What about you? Are you okay?”
I croak out a laugh. “Me against a few shitty Los Diablos? Hell yeah, I’m all right.”
“Good. Where are you?”
“That place.”
“Hang on. Did you say what I think you just said?”
“I did.”
“Crap. Do you need us to take care of anything while you’re going AWOL with your old lady-to-be?” Silas keeps up the goading. “I figured it had to be some real good pussy to make you ignore everything else going on here, especially that security clearance.”
“Yeah well, keep your mind on your old lady’s parts, not on Angel’s,” I grumble, ignoring the fucking clearance crap. “I think I’ve got everything covered. Any other updates?”
“No. I’ll keep you posted as soon as I have answers. Be sure to check in with us every couple of days, as usual.”
“Will do. Hey Prez, hang on a second. Do you hear that?” I ask.
“Hear what?”
There’s a distinct clicking sound in the background. It’s intermittent, but my gut doesn’t like it. If someone’s listening in on our call, we’re fucked.
“Si?”
“Yeah.”
“Tell VV tohang on ten,” I say, stressing each word carefully. “Did you get that?”
“Got it. Godspeed, brother.”
I hang up and turn to face Angel again. She must have gone inside and used the bathroom, because she’s a lot less jittery now than a few minutes ago. Shoving my phone into my pocket, I go to greet the problem head on.
“Hey, what’s going on?” she asks. “You don’t look too thrilled—”
“Get inside. Right now,” I say firmly, releasing a threatening raspy groan from the back of my throat so she will not dare to question me now.
She doesn’t say a word.
I hurry with her across the parking lot, and quickly grab our bags out of the back seat of the van. Returning to our room, I get inside and shut the door behind me. I take the hotel room key and examine it in my hand, looking back and forth from the key to Angel. She’s not ready for what’s about to happen. I drag her bag off my shoulder and step in front of her again.
“It smells like mold and orange juice in here,” Angel says, scanning the dump, which is worse than the last place. She scrunches up her nose and gives me a sour look. “Maybe we should find somewhere else.”
That’s when I hold her arm and spin her around to face me.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” she shouts. “I was going to take a goddamned shower!”
“You’ll do that, all right. You know why?”
“You’re kind of hurting me right now, Axe. But fine, tell me why.”
“Because my house, my rules. Understand?”
Her lips tremble as recognition hits that I’m not fucking around right now. Excellent. It means I can give her precise instructions, and she won’t give me any lip.
“You’re going to get into that shower and turn on the water.” I show her the small bag in my hand. “Don’t lock the bathroom door. Take off every piece of clothes you have on, and put on these clothes when you get in there. After that, you’re going to stay inside the bathroom and wait for me. Do you understand? And not another word.”
